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Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more by reading the Frequently Asked Questions below:

How Does Inspire Work?
  • Inspire works inside your body with your natural breathing process
  • It delivers mild stimulation to key airway muscles, allowing the airway to remain open during sleep
  • Inspire is controlled by a small handheld sleep remote

Will Inspire Work for You?

You may qualify for Inspire if you:

  • Have been diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
  • Struggle with or can’t get consistent benefit from CPAP
  • Are not significantly obese

Your doctor will also examine your airway and review your most recent sleep study

How to Prepare for Your Appointment
  • Bring your most recent sleep study
  • Be ready to talk about your struggles using CPAP and any sleep-related topics including:
    • Prescription sleep medication
    • Insomnia
    • Sleep anxiety
  • Write down any questions you have for the doctor

How Much Does Inspire Cost?
  • Most insurance providers covers Inspire
    • Broad private insurance coverage
    • Medicare coverage across the US
    • Many VA and Military Hospitals
  • Cost will depend on the details of your insurance plan

  • Most U.S. insurance companies cover Inspire
  • Over 400 insurance companies have covered the cost of Inspire for patients who meet the eligibility requirements
  • Typically, you can expect to pay any unmet deductible along with any copay or coinsurance fee for a surgery

  • Medicare is covered across the United States for those who meet criteria

  • Inspire is available for veterans at select VA and military hospitals across the US
  • Visit the Find a Doctor page or chat with an Inspire Advisor to see if there is a VA or military hospital near you that offers Inspire
  • If there is not a center near you, you can possibly utilize a program called the Community Care Program, allowing you to receive care at a civilian hospital
  • To contact Inspire’s dedicated VA Patient Liaison, email [email protected]

Steps to Get Inspire

There are three simple steps to sleeping with Inspire:

  • An airway exam
  • The Inspire procedure
  • Turning on Inspire & confirming the settings

Airway Exam
  • The airway exam is a very routine and non-surgical exam
  • You’re given a short-acting medication to put you to sleep. While you’re asleep, a camera records how your airway opens and closes
  • The whole exam only takes about 20 minutes, and when you’re done, you’ll find out if Inspire is right for you

Inspire Procedure
  • Inspire is placed under the skin, in a same-day, outpatient procedure that takes about two hours
  • Most patients take over-the-counter pain medication and resume non-strenuous activities within a few days
  • You can resume more strenuous activities within a couple of weeks

What Does Inspire Feel Like?
  • Inspire sends mild stimulation to the motor nerve that controls your tongue, moving it out of the way
  • The stimulation is very gentle and designed to move the tongue forward without disturbing your sleep. It should not be painful or uncomfortable.

Life with Inspire
  • Inspire should not limit your normal activities
  • The current model of Inspire can undergo MRI on the head, neck and extremities provided specific conditions are followed
  • Having a pacemaker should not disqualify you from becoming a candidate for Inspire

The visibility of the scars will depend on your skin tone and individual healing process. There are three incisions made: one under the chin, one below the collarbone, and one on the side of the rib cage.

James Morales
Inspire Date: June 15, 2017
Karen Wolk
Inspire Date: July 25, 2018
Lottie Davis
Inspire Date: March 26, 2019

  • Like CPAP, an Inspire doctor can print out a usage record of Inspire to show the medical examiner that you are using your prescribed sleep apnea treatment
  • By proving compliance, there should be no issues renewing your commercial driver’s license

  • A significant decrease in snoring has been found as a secondary effect of Inspire
  • 90% of bed partners report no or soft snoring by their partner

  • The battery in Inspire is designed to last for approximately 11 years
  • Once it is running low, it is replaced during a simple outpatient procedure

  • Generally, the Inspire system should be checked 1 to 2 times a year

Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnea

Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious risk of:

  • Stroke
  • Heart Attack
  • Diabetes
  • Workplace or automobile accidents

Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Treatment options for sleep apnea include:

  • Lifestyle Changes
    • Exercise
    • Not drinking alcohol before bedtime
    • Sleeping on your side
  • CPAP
  • Oral Appliance
  • Inspire
  • Surgery to remove blockages

Additional Questions

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